To Court Danger
by KateAncharn
Summary: When Smoker found himself the the semi-unwilling partner of a less then expected affair with everyones favorite hothead, he though he'd be the one bailing his dolt of a lover out left and right. Ace is proud to show how wrong his narrow-sighted 'boyfriend' can be.
1. Heated

He was a Marine. A man sworn to protect the innocent and to serve justice. He was a Devil Fruit user. His body mended at inhuman speeds. He could turn into a hovering cloud of smoke at a whim. He was stone faced, intimidating, and all around strong. And he was going to be sick. Not just some common cold, no. He was running around on some winter island, alone, and freezing his ass off with hypothermia. Probably caught something else, too; he couldn't really tell. And the seastone bullet stuck in his leg was making sure he felt every second of it. In short, Smoker's day was fan-fucking-tastic, thank you very much.  
A blizzard raged around him. The Marine felt every single flake of snow as it pelted him, driving the numbing cold in his bones even deeper. If it weren't for the bright red splotch of blood staining his calf, he would look like he was part of the snow, too. After what felt like hours of wandering, the endless white finally gave way to something. The small mouth of a cave sat partially hidden by the thick blanket of snow covering the ground. Smoker shuffled in, his ears ringing from the howling of the wind as he looked around.  
The cave was shallow and empty. Any cave dwelling animal would have passed this spot up, seeing how it barely sheltered anything from the harsh weather. At the very back, a patch of ground with only light snow covering it peeked out of the small drifts that took up the rest of the area. Smoker sank onto that patch of earth, his legs too tired from his already long trek to go much further. He ran a hand over the field dressing he had pulled together for the bullet wound. Blood still oozed sluggishly from under the already stained cloth; the pain was numbed to the point where he could barely feel the throbbing, leaking mess under his hand.  
**_'This is exactly what you deserve,'_** his mind hissed. **_'First, you let that pirate have his way with you, and then you just ended up spacing out and getting yourself shot because you can't get him out of your head!'_**  
The Marine sighed to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. _'Now is NOT the time for this. I don't care if you're my conscience, just shut up for a minute so I can think!'_ It took several more minutes of heated internal debate for the 'voice of reason' to quiet down and leave Smoker to his current problem. _'I swear to Kami, I'm going crazy over all this shit...'_  
His body obviously wasn't going to let him keep going without a breather, so the Marine grudgingly gave it one. He curled up on himself, tucking his arms and legs in so they could share in the warmth that still blossomed in his chest. Resting his forehead on his knees, Smoker used his breath to keep the pocket of heat from shrinking away from his hands. He sat, waiting for Kami knew what, feeling his body slowly freeze with each passing minute.  
He didn't know how long he sat there, his body going still from the cold penetrating through his coat. Even zipped up, his signature jacket wasn't enough protection from the extreme weather of the Grand Line without his abilities to help keep his body healthy. The crunch of snow pulled him from the daze, his ears perking while his face stayed down. An aura of heat slowly crept in; it pushed into his muscles while turning the snow around him to water. He shuddered silently, not even noticing the fact that he was quickly becoming soaked as he felt something akin to relief flood his systems. The heated fingers that settled on his shoulder more then confirmed that the person kneeling in front of him was most definitely the fire user: Portgas D. Ace.  
"Captain," the pirate trilled, running his hand up and down the Marine's freezing shoulder. "Rise and shine, Smoker." Those wonderfully warm fingertips lifted up his chin, and dark eyes met a pair of glazed over gray ones. Ace's eyes softened, his hands gently tracing patterns on pale cheeks. "Hey... Let's get you somewhere warm, neh?" The Marine shrugged faintly, nestling against the warm palms with a tiny sigh. Pride be d*mned, he was half dead, already, and he was too stubborn to just croak here.  
"Alright. Up we go," the pirate grunted, coaxing the older man to uncurl a little. He hauled Smoker onto his back, sending as much heat as he could into the pale body as he left the relative protection of the cave. The Marine shivered against the cold wind as it once more whipped through his hair. Soon, the smoke user zoned out, his mind only kept awake by the occasional jostling as he was moved through the raging storm. It wasn't like there was anything to see, anyway.  
The next real moment of clarity was in a room. No idea how he got there apart from the stupid answers like 'through the door', but it was a welcome change of scenery. A fire crackled happily to his left as Ace set him down carefully on a chair. Smoker bit back a whine as the warmth moved away, but the pirate returned to his side quickly.  
"Sit still," he hummed, unzipping his charge's jacket. The cloth was soaked through, clinging to the Marine's skin as he was helped out of it. His boots and gloves came off next, and they, along with his coat, were set near the fire to dry. The young man then reached for his belt, and then his sopping wet jeans. "Can you take those off on your own?" Smoker glanced down at his boxers, which where just as wet as the rest of his clothing. Hesitantly, the smoke user nodded, slowly slipping off his last piece of clothing and passing it to the fire user.  
He sat, his body once more starting to shiver faintly while covering himself with his hands. The smoke user's calf still had blood leaking from the gunshot, which was now exposed and bleeding onto the wood paneling. He ground his teeth, almost wishing for a pair of cigars to gnaw on just to get rid of the stress prickling his sluggish frame. Ace sat down across from the Marine with a first aid kit in hand.  
"Now, let me see what I can do, here," the pirate grunted, setting Smoker's wounded leg on his lap. The fire user poked and prodded the bullet wound carefully before he removed the seastone, cleaned, and dressed the bleeding hole, murmuring softly to no one in particular. All the while, the Marine bit his cheek bloody, keeping silent and still for once as the pain throbbed all along his leg. The situation was humiliating enough, he didn't need to ruin his reputation any more then absolutely necessary. Even when the iodine was burning the already tender wound raw, his lips stayed sealed and his tear ducts dry. The bandages were loose, letting the tiny puffs of smoke escape the bindings as his logica powers kicked in.  
"That's it... We're all done," the younger man breathed, setting the kit aside with a soft smile. "Now to fix that shiver." Before Smoker could complain, he was lifted up, again, and the room spun. When it stopped, Ace had already begun covering his body with thick blankets, having set him down on the lone bed. The pirate left for a moment, but soon, a warm body slipped in behind him. "C'mere. This'll get you back to normal faster." The Marine let himself curl into the warmth, grumbling faintly about a cocky brat as two sun kissed arms looped around him.  
Hours passed with only the sound of the crackling fire and Ace's constant chatter. No matter how close the Marine's eyes came to slipping closed and releasing him from the aches and shivers, the pirate would always raise his voice just loud enough to keep him awake. Finally, though, Smoker was allowed rest, his eyes sliding shut. Before his mind drifted off, the older man swore he felt a pair of warm lips press against his forehead. And then he was out.


	2. Melted

Ace was more than worried the next morning. Instead of the icy skin he'd found Smoker with, he felt like a fire was burning right under his pale skin. His face flushed, the Marine had yet to wake and his breath was labored and rough. He had almost soaked through the blankets with how badly he was sweating. Once and a while, the older man would give a rattling cough, flinching in his sleep until the fit passed.  
The only relief the pirate could offer was a washcloth drenched in cool water and rubbing the Marine's back firmly until his body relaxed. Ace sat, dabbing away beads of sweat as the fever raged on. After an hour of restlessness, the Marine finally responded to the soothing touch. He moaned weakly, his head leaning into the moist cloth as it was pressed against forehead. The pirate gave a tiny, relieved smile as his charge's eyelids fluttered before slowly opening.  
"Morning, babe," Ace sighed, re-wetting the cloth before letting it sit on the Marine's brow, again. Smoker's hazy eyes squinted up at him with confusion before looking lazily about the room.  
"Wh-wha...?" Smoker muttered softly, shifting under the covers. _'It's too __**hot**__,'_ his head hissed, fighting off the urge to curl up in a tiny ball and whine until the fever passed. "Whe-where are-" a jarring cough cut off the rest of his question, and this time, he didn't object when his body shrank in on itself. A stabbing pain spread across his chest with each desperate hack of his lungs. Comforting fingers drew him out a little as the fit was eased away. Ace was there, rubbing the tension away without a single jibe or a hint of smugness in his face.  
"Relax, Smoker. You're sick as a dog, so I'd advise you sit still and let me do the talking for a while. Heaven knows I do most of it, anyway," the pirate almost trilled, keeping his tone calm and even. The last thing Smoker needed right now was a reason to get riled up and make himself worse. "Rest up while I get you something. Your throat sounds like it's killing you."  
For once, the Marine didn't really object. Glowered at his host with muted irritation, yes, but he seemed content to stay put. He coughed, again, a wetter, more progressive cough that was sure to help get some of the mucus out as the pirate left his bedside. Ace moved easily across the wooden flooring, his feet bare as he pulled a glass out of a small cabinet.  
The kitchen area was open, but small. It was pressed into a corner made by a short wall that jutted out by the doorway. It was also right across from the bed, which was squished into the opposite corner to make more room for the living room area. It was still close to the fire place, though, so it was more then toasty enough for the frigged nights on a winter island. With a full glass, the pirate sauntered back over to his post near the headboard.  
Smoker barely acknowledged that he'd come back, curling tightly on his side while cupping his hands over his mouth. Another pained cough, and there was the faintest sound of relief. After much fruitless hacking, some of the congestion had finally come loose and left his chest. The Marine couldn't help the pleased sigh he made, despite how much it scratched at his dry throat.  
"There's a whole box of tissues right here, you know," Ace childed. His ailing companion still didn't seem to care, simply shrugging it off as he pulled his hands away to inspect them. His brow quired in confusion as he focused in on the mucus splattered on his palms.  
"Thah' shouldn' be green... righ'?" the Marine mumbled, opening his hands wider so Ace could see them better. Indeed, the mucus was green, but not a pale yellowish-green. It was a darker shade, almost forest green, and thick. The pirate could barely keep the look of disgust off his face as he snatched a tissue and started to clean it off. It came off in a few large globs, leaving the pale skin of Smoker's palms unstained.  
"Not normally, no. That should not be green," Ace worried his bottom lip as he tossed the mucus-y wad into the trash can. "But you are sick, so it's just another symptom of... whatever you managed to catch." The fire user shook the concern off his face; he had to stay calm. "You should eat something, now. Drink some water while I get soup heated up. You're not gonna get better if you don't eat..." He was more then thankful that the fever had Smoker too spacey to ask questions and too tired to even think of getting up.  
The Marine shrugged lightly, but didn't protest as the glass was pressed gently into his hands. As Ace moved back to the kitchen area, Smoker just stared at the water as his head caught up to exactly what he should do with it. Shifting onto his back slowly, he rested the glass on the blankets covering his chest. He wiggled out of the cocoon of blankets, one hand keeping the water from tipping over, and forced his body to prop up against the headboard. The older man bit back a whimper as the air caressed his sweat soaked skin, sending a less then pleasant shiver through his system.  
His hands shook as he took a small sip from the glass. Some water still dribbled out the corner of his mouth, but he didn't really notice. The cool water slid down this throat, soothing the roughness a little. Smoker moaned faintly, taking another sip. He sat in silence, sipping his water and pausing only to cough every few minutes.  
He was pulled out of his daze by something warm and hard being bumped gently into his forehead. Smoker blinked tiredly before his eyes focused on the mug being nudged into him. The pirate gave a cheeky grin, setting the steaming mug down on the small bedside table. Ace gently took the glass from the Marine's shaking hands and set it down before shifting around the pillows until his charge was more comfortable in his sitting position and tucked the blankets in. Nabbing the wet cloth from its place on the bed, the fire user wiped away beads of sweat, re-wet it from the water basin, and pressed it back against the older man's forehead.  
Smoker shuddered faintly, groaning under his breath as the cold seeped in. It felt like ice, but after a few minutes, it became comfortably cool against his fever-flushed skin. He coughed, relaxing into his fortress of comforters and pillows as Ace stirred the soup in its mug to help it cool off.  
"Open wide," Ace sighed, scooping a spoonful of the warm chicken broth up with a dreading look on his face.  
"M'm not'a invalid," was the hoarse protest he got for his troubles. Smoker looked like he wanted to continue, but a few coughs had him resigned to a hazy and weak glare.  
"I know," Ace rolled his eyes. "But you were barely able to keep from spilling a glass of water all over yourself. Not taking a chance of that with _hot_ soup."  
The older man muttered softly under his breath, but begrudgingly parted his lip wide enough for the spoon to fit. The silence was more then awkward as the pirate spoon fed the Marine, getting through most of the mug before Smoker refused to take in another drop of broth.  
"Tired?" the fire user trilled, chuckling lightly at the tiny growl that came from the sick man. The Marine did, however, break into one of his worse coughing fits. Smoker's body jerked forward with each dry hack and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. The few pauses he could manage to gasp for air were almost as painful as the breathless coughs before them. All the fit managed to do was make the smoke user gag on his own saliva and spray a few tiny specks of mucus on the blankets.  
Warm arms pulled him close, and despite his fever, the heat was calming. Smoker lent into the pirate's chest, letting his breathing come back to normal as he was coddled like some child. Ace muttered calming words into the sick man's sweat soaked hair, letting the fluttering lungs and heart of his charge sync up with his own steady rhythm. Taking the wet rag from the Marine's forehead, he rubbed it over a pale, heaving chest and back, letting the cooling sensation spread. He had, in his near panicked state, pulled the smoke user onto his lap, not even trying to bring any of the blankets with him.  
Some of the sheets had made the trip, but they sat bunched around pale hips and dangling over bare legs. Air caressed the Marine's skin, making his body curl up tightly into Ace's chest. He shivered silently as chills racked his flesh, nestling as close as possible to the fire user. The young man sighed, letting Smoker burrow his face into his tanned neck and relaxed. If he had been wearing a shirt, the pirate was sure his charge would be fisting his hands in it, but as it was, Smoker had settled for a firm grip on the freckled man's shoulder.  
"Kami, you're sick," Ace murmured, ruffling the smoke user's snowy hair in a fond manner. His ill companion grumbled softly into his neck, but didn't seem to mind that much. Smoker felt too sick for throwing a fit over the brat doing something annoying, so he just didn't. Thankfully, the brat didn't feel like antagonizing him too much, so the system worked.  
"Jus' lemme sleep it off," Smoker murmured, nuzzling the pirate's neck as if he was begging for more comfort for his aching body. Warm fingers ran though his hair carefully and the smoke user couldn't hold back a tiny moan as his body went lax. His scalp was a cripplingly weak spot; the Marine melted every time Ace stoked and carefully tugged at the silvery strands. It usually took a few minutes of gentle petting to get him to start moaning, but the fever had him twitching from sensitivity.  
"Babe, it's not just some flu or the common cold that you're working through," the fire user trilled. "I called up a friend of mine. He's a doctor, and when I told him about your symptoms, and he says it sounds like pneumonia. I don't want you acting all sluggish like this for longer then you have to, and I have a feeling your crew is going to be missing you a lot..." The Marine blinked slowly, a tiny grunt all the noise he made as he was stroked gently. "Smoker, you need to get back to your crew and your _doctor_ so you can get the care you need."  
"I don' wanna," the smoke user mumbled in response, and Ace could feel the lax grip on his person tighten. "Chikao's an ass... Don' wanna deal with 'im. Not... not like _this_."  
"Babe, please... You need a doctor who can take care of you, and the one on your ship is the only one who knows how. I swear, I'll come visit as much as I can," Ace crooned. The smoke user tilted his head, catching his lover's eye.  
"But... I wanna be close to you..." Smoker whispered. "It's nice bein' like this... With you..." The pirate could tell it was the fever getting his charge talking, but the words had a certain tone; a weight of truth was in what the Marine was saying. His head was moved up from its spot on the pirate's neck by a sun kissed hand. Ace gave him a warm smile, tilting his head lightly until they were facing each other in a familiar way.  
"Ah! A-Ace, not-" A pair of warm lips cut Smoker off, and he squeaked softly against them as he was kissed. Ace was careful with his lover, moving his own lips slowly until the Marine whimpered and kissed back. It was gentle and tender, the pirate keeping himself from going too far with the tiny reminder of his companion's weakened state. He almost smirked at the small moan that the smoke user made, allowing him to probe lightly inside the cigar-tainted cavern.  
He pulled back after a few moments of tasting the sweet tobacco that lingered on the Marine's breath and left a string of glistening saliva bridging between their lips. The flush from the fever was deepened with blush, making Smoker look adorably flustered. Panting and shaking in his arms, the ill man was almost as appealing as when Ace had him begging with his body for pleasure. The pirate held back, though; Smoker was too sick for a round of hanky-panky, and he was short of breath from the rather tame kiss for anything more to be a good idea.  
"Ace!" he smoke user whined, shaking the younger man's shoulders with the limited strength he felt like using. "Don' do that... when I'm sick! You might... might catch what I've caught..." The fire user chuckled lightly as Smoker carried on chastising him while the blush faded away until it was only the flush from the pneumonia remaining. Finally having enough of the Marine's half-frantic screeching, he quieted him with a chaste peck on the nose.  
"Babe, you're the one who's not feeling right, here. Its was a quick little kiss, I'll be fine," the fire user soothed. His fingers once more began running through snow white locks of hair, and Smoker shuddered. His body relaxed, draping over his lover's sun kissed shoulder with a defeated groan. "Don't worry; that's my job until you're done hacking up your lungs. I'll have a local doc come have a look, but if you get worse, you're going back to _your ship_ and _your doctor_, alright?" A small, but excited nod was all the fire user needed to start grinning, again.  
_ 'So what if I'm being a little soft? Not every day I get to cuddle him without him accusing me of wanting inside his pants,_' the pirate purred internally. _'Even though half the time he was right...'_


	3. Escaped

Smoker glanced at the newest stack of reports dropped on his desk, bored. His Ensign gave him that disappointed look, and he rolled his eyes, his pen scratching away at the current piece of paperwork. 'Will they ever learn?' he muttered internally. Once he was sure Tashigi had left the room to tend to the rest of the crew instead of hovering over his shoulder to make sure he was working, he let himself leaf through the stack.  
"Paperwork, paperwork, report, paperwork, new wanted posters, paperwork..." the Marine breathed, flipping through the stack with ease. "Paperwork, report, paperwork, memo, paperwork- wait, memo?" Slipping the smaller yellow slip from the stack, the smoke user skimmed it before almost tearing the thing up and chucking it out the window. It was one of those memos, the ones that they were seriously thinking of no longer sending to Smoker simply because it helped him avoid them.  
_'Chikao, what do you have planned,this time?'_ he mused. His ship's doctor was a menace, one of the few things in existence that the Marine avoided like the plague. The man was slippery, not to mention unnervingly stealthy and accurate with his needles. Smoker almost shuddered when he remembered how easy it had been for the older gentleman to single-handedly sedate a rampaging prisoner who had busted out of the brig a few months ago. Said 'doctor' had then gone though and assisted with the proper restraints to keep the beast of a man held utterly still and unable to do more then glower at the guards when they dropped him off at the nearest Marine base.  
Then again, you need a certain measure of monstrosity in a doctor if you expect them to be able to enforce their treatment and care for Devil Fruit users; especially when working on the Stray Dog of the Marines. Smoker wasn't _afraid_, per say... That's what he kept telling himself, though with a man over 50 able to hypothetically walk up to, sedate, and restrain someone as strong as himself was an awe inspiring and worrisome fact. Didn't help matters that the smoke user might as well be the most loathed of all of Chikao's patients because of his keen ability to suddenly find something more important then a checkup, patch himself up well enough that no one notice he was hurt until he passed out at his desk in the middle of a conversation, or just flat out disappearing for a while until he had their word that he wouldn't be jumped and strapped to a cot in the infirmary the minute he got back on the ship.  
The smoke user neatly tore the yellow slip of paper in two, which he then proceeded to crinkle up and set in his ashtray. One flick of his lighter later, he was watching the note curl and darken until in was simply a smoldering lump of ashes that looked enough like his cigar ash to throw them off the trail. If they knew that he knew, then they'd spring it early and any hope he had of slipping away would be thrown out the window. Speaking of windows...  
"Oi, Smokey! Guess who~?" a very familiar voice chimed, two hands wrapping around his head from behind, covering his eyes. This was normal, sadly enough, which is why the Marine had resigned himself to leaving his windows open so he wouldn't have to bother with letting the brat in. He'd already tried just ignoring him or telling him to get lost, but both tactics failed miserably. He did not enjoy explaining the scorch marks Tashigi miraculously noticed the next day, so this made everything so much easier.  
"Brat, what did I tell you about calling me that?"  
"That is was degrading, annoying as hell, and the next time you heard me use the name 'Smokey' that you would personally kick my scrawny ass into the water and let me drown." The mirth in the fire user's tone was self evident as the hands moved away and the pirate sauntered over to the front of the desk, not in the least unnerved by the sharp eyes watching his every move. "What's gone and crawled up yours, Captain? You look like someone sent you a note saying you had 24 hours to live or something."  
"Something like that..." the Marine conceded, glaring at the fire user, though his eyes held more of a thoughtful expression then malice. "Portgas, I need a favor."  
"Oooooo, making deals with pirates, are we? I'm game. Though the price will depend on just what you're asking for," Ace smirked, leaning over the desk in his usual manner. Smoker scowled darkly at the pirate, really wishing his head could come up with a better plan. After a few seconds of coming up completely short and having Ace waiting eagerly for the task, the smoke user sighed through his nose.  
"At 2:50, tomorrow, I need you to make a large diversion in that warehouse just up the waterline. Don't care what as long as you're not blasting civilians or my men, but draw as much attention as you can and make sure it looks bad enough to need medical staff to check people over. Keep them busy for as long as possible, 10 minutes if you can. Am I clear?" the Marine grunted calmly. This would be the easy part; negotiating with his 'lover' would not be.  
"Hmmmm... A tall order, Captain. That's gonna cost you. I know how much you hate debts, so I'll name my price up front. I want to fuck you..." Ace's voice trailed off, his lips coming forward to brush over a pale ear softly before murmuring the rest. "...and I want you to be sober when I do. The whole time, foreplay to climax." Smoker still had trouble referring to this relationship as anything more then a casual fuck when they were too drunk or too emotional to care what was going on.  
Ace saw the indecisive look on the smoke user's face as he moved back, and he understood it. Whenever they actually got together for a nice bang, which was all they ever did except fight or occasionally flirt, like right now, Smoker would always show up pretty drunk, and the fire user would always have a couple bottles of rum waiting. They wouldn't so much as touch one another until the Marine felt he was suitably smashed.  
"You won't have to do anything, just sit back at let me work my magic _once_, then you can drink yourself away or leave. That's all I'm asking for," he murmured, tilting his head to meet Smoker's gaze. There was still hesitation in those gray eyes, but a resigned sigh and a nod came none the less.  
"Fine... but _only_ once and that is _final_," the smoke user growled, pinning Ace with a look that dared him to try saying otherwise. The pirate knew better then to argue; he was getting what he wanted, anyways. "And no, I am not telling you why, so don't bother asking..." Internally, the fire user cursed his 'bed-mate's' perceptiveness, and of course his secrecy, but kept himself calm and unaffected on the outside.  
"Why, Smoker, I wouldn't dream of sticking my nose into your business! We only meet up for sex; what reasons would I have to take it deeper then that?" the pirate hummed, stretching his back leisurely. It was a lie and Ace knew it, but if this little lie let him stay with this man who was inadvertently getting lost on the way to his groin and winding up in his heart, he'd keep it up as long as he could. The scare with pneumonia and the feverish words the Marine had mumbled into his neck were enough for the fire user to know he wasn't the only one falling in over his head.  
They were living lies, trying to protect themselves and anyone they were close to. This affair would hurt them if anyone found out, even if secrets weren't being exchanged. White Beard was a little more excepting then the fire user had expected him to be, content that nothing was being slipped to the enemy and that is son was happy, but nothing could make him believe that Smoker's head would be off his shoulders, or worse, if the Navy caught wind of this. But Ace kept coming craving more, pushing on those walls gently and watching them ware away t show the human hiding in smoke and bitterness. And the Marine kept coming back, drunk, yes, but he still came, still let his walls be broken down slowly, and even removed a few bricks himself.  
This was their escape... A time to break away from the running and suspicions for a night before leaving a bottle of aspirin and waiting outside the window to see those pained steps leading to the shower and wanting to scoop those quivering legs up and douse that perfect body in tenderness and affection until the man was free of pains. A random place where duty could be left behind for a few hours and a carefully maintained facade could be dropped and not fear being hurt because of it while letting needs and wants be one and the same and warm arms, shielding arms, arms that held on until the first rays of sunlight peeked through the drapes, could sooth the chaos and anger and take away the heavy burden for one evening. They both knew this cruel world for what it was; had to fight and maim and sometimes kill to keep their own heads and their loved ones above water. But those evenings, after being given that rare change to caress instead of punch, kiss as opposed to kick, they could relax in someone else's arms and feel secure, like the world had stopped being a horrible place and they could be what they wanted to be and not what they needed to be. It was their oasis, a safe place way from the crushing reality, that they didn't want to admit they needed but couldn't live without, anymore. Ace knew this was a escape from the loneliness for them both, but out of all the little disappearances from his life he'd made before... He knew this one was one hiding spot he didn't want to give up, even if it cost him his head.


	4. Shanghaied

The sheepish, guilty look in Tashigi's eyes did not help his temper in the slightest. It just helped to shift it more onto the delighted asshole checking the leather straps that were synced across his knees. Didn't stop the smoke user from giving her a glare that screamed _'You traitor' _to high heaven. His second at least had the decency to look away ashamedly, though her cheeks still had that dusting of pink he'd seen once the damn sedative had worn off. It was understandable, seeing how Smoker was practically nude and tied to a cot, the only thing resembling clothing a towel draped over his pelvis.

"Stop being such a baby, Nathanial," Chikao grunted, though he was smirking as he patted the mattress lightly. "This has been fun and all, but it's about damn time you manned up and had a check up! Last one we managed to weasel out of you was only 3 months after you'd adjusted to having your powers, and we need to keep this information updated." That had been years ago, if Smoker's mind was done swimming with whatever the hell he'd been shot up with.

"I-is all this really necessary, Doctor?" Tashigi finally asked, eying the hefty leather straps and seastone chains with some concern.

"Yeah, it is," the medical officer hummed, making sure everything was tight before actually getting his supplies out. "He's a regular Houdini, this one... Can't keep him anywhere without him finding some way to slip out of any restraints I have him in." Said escape artist growled around the gag that was there to keep him from using his teeth to untie knots and yelling loud enough to make their ears bleed. "Oh, hush... You brought this on yourself, Smoker."

Tashigi visibly paled when she saw the items being brought out. "L-lube?" she squeaked, inching back. The smoke user started to buck violently against the restraints, shouting at the doctor as loudly as he could with the cotton fabric still stuffed in his mouth.

"He's old enough for a prostate exam, Ensign, and he's gonna have one," Chikao grunted, looking between the two of them. Smoker obviously did not agree. He wanted no part in this 'medicine' the man practiced, and he was going to get out of this before he was degraded any more.

He didn't let his eyes flick to the clock, but he knew it was 2:50 when there was a loud explosion they could hear from the shore. The Marine Commodore tried to squirm enough so he could look through a window, but a small needle threatening to prick his skin and paralyze him kept him from getting that far. Tashigi, free of such restraints, was able to rush over, her face serious as she poked her head out and took the scene in.

"There's been an explosion in the supply warehouse! The fire is out of control, sir!" sh exclaimed, whirling back around. "There appears to be a lot of panic, sir! We need to move and see if we can assist!" Smoker so wished he'd be let go of, now...

"We're going, then! You stay here, Nathanial..."

Well, Smoker guessed Plan B would have to do, as usual. He waited for the flurry of movement on the deck to have died to almost nothing before so much as moving a finger. The smoke user moved carefully, turning a little and yanking his body to the side. It took a few attempt before the satisfying sound of leather snapping reached his ears. Break the straps: check. Smoker smirked around the gag, shifting his body so the straps fell completely away. Sure, he was still effectively unable to do more then roll around, but he could work with this!

"Why, hello, there..." a smooth voice purred from the doorway. He knew that voice way to well, and he knew that tone of voice just as well, but he was not used to having the two of them together and directed at him without the numbing effects off alcohol. He wasn't quite sure if he liked it or not... It made him feel so scrutinized.

_'No, no, no, no! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, __**fuck!**__'_ the Marine's mind screamed. The fire user could not find him like this! He squirmed harder, trying to get something to give and let him defend himself from that look. He almost yelped when a heated hand started to rub his thigh,pressing down just enough that he knew he wasn't going anywhere. He glared up at the cocky brat smirking over him, forcing himself to ignore the way those warm fingers were tracing over his skin.

"As kinky and arousing as this is, Smokey... We both agreed, not on your ship,"Ace chuckled, looking over the bindings leisurely. "So what were they going to do that you opposed this much, hmm?" The gag muffled the angered huff, but Ace knew the non-verbal responses Smoker used well enough to piece together the fact that even if the gag was gone, he wouldn't get an answer. So he snooped around the area, pocketing the lube because that stuff is expensive, but would be useful soon enough when the Marine kept up his end of the bargain. "Ooo~! You're medical charts!"

The smoke user visibly blanched, squirming and shouting around the cloth tied between his lips. That meant Ace just had to read through _all_ of the folder. He knew there wouldn't be enough time to, since he could already hear some of the fuss quieting down at the not-so-out of control fire. So into his knapsack it went! Smoker really didn't seem to like that idea, almost rolling off the bed to try and get at him. The rolling he did do managed to displace the towel that was the only thing between him and nudity, though, and Ace was more then happy to pin Smoker's back to the mattress and take it in without his vision being blurred.

"That's a nice one, Smokey. Good and thick, isn't it? You name your's 'Mini Jutte' or something?" the pirate teased, lifting the piece of flesh up off his partner's thigh. He snickered, feeling the Marine freeze and send him a scalding glare. He knew that the moment he moved, Ace would use it against him and find some way to get him needy. "Oh, come on... We've had sex, before, and I know I've blown you more then a few times."

The Marine bucked when he was squeezed, letting out a low whine. _'H-hey! No fair; low blow!'_ he shouted internally, his face flushing at the heat that zipped through his body. He tried to curl up and hide his body, too unsure of himself. He didn't want this. Not yet. Ace seemed to read his mind, letting go with a cheeky grin.

"You look like that was the first time you were ever touched by another person, babe," he chuckled, nuzzling Smoker's forehead. "Don't worry... We'll go slow and steady so you can figure things out, alright?" The Marine seemed a little reluctant, looking downwards and shifting like he didn't want to be there. Ace just waited for an answer, gently petting his cheek lightly. It took a little internal thought on the smoke users thought before he gave an answer.

"Mmph..."


	5. Liberated

The inn was nicer than usual, this time. It was no 5-star, but when Smoker was used to a -5-star and would have likely throttled Ace for taking him to anything that fancy, it would do. The fact that the fire user had actually considered something like appearance in the interaction at all screamed out that this would be different; change had already been implied, but this just made it more real.

Harsh reality made his already frayed nerves twitch in his skin, but the Marine was much more ticked off about the fact that Ace was being a prick and hadn't even untied him the slightest before bringing him into the room through an open window. That, at least, was kind of normal, sneaking in through a window and having to get up and leave before anyone became the wiser. That, or Ace didn't want to share the view. That thought was immediately locked in the very far back of the smoke user's mind. He didn't need to think about that, because then he'd start over thinking it, and then it would get even more awkward in his mind at all the things he could imply from it.

"Your chambers, princess~!" the fire user teased, grinning wider at the disgruntled growl Smoker gave in response. Snickering, Ace just pressed a kiss to his prize's lily forehead, smile fading a little at the furrow he felt under his lips. "Now, now…. Your face is going to freeze like that is you don't start loosening it up." The Marine looked far from amused, gnawing on the gag as he continued to squirm every once and a while.

The smoke user let out a muffled yelp when he was unceremoniously plopped down onto the bed. The mattress gave enough under him that it cushioned the small fall while still bringing him to a stop before his back felt the bars of the bedframe. He felt his body bounce faintly, glaring up at Ace from the covers. He would have retaliated more had warm hands not gone right to running along his thighs and sides, making him shiver and flush, ruby eyes squeezing shut. This was far from how he wanted today to go, and it made him wriggle against the annoyingly unyielding chains.

If they would just give a little, he could made this stop and then- Then what…? It wasn't like he could just give some stupid excuse, could he? This had been going on for months, now, could he really back out now? He'd let this happen too much to say it was wrong and expect it to just go away, and they both knew that.

That being true…. He still didn't want to feel it. The buzz of alcohol always numbed everything, made him forget the shocks of pain so all he could comprehend the next morning was the pleasure that had been there. To have to feel it all and know what he was allowing to go on made Smoker's skin crawl.

He didn't notice the fingers loosening the knot keeping him muffled until the cloth was removed and he could feel fiery lips touching the surface of his cheek before engulfing his mouth. He thought of fighting them for only a second before the warmth and faint, coaxing movements drew him in. This was new, very new.

His memory of the lustful and intoxicated nights may be fuzzy, but he knew he would have at least a faint recollection of kissing like this. A slimmer, playful tongue was dancing around his own, tracing over his teeth and gums and any nook and cranny it could find. Smoker parried with his own movements, but Ace just seemed to twirl around them and press tiny little licks along his own slick muscle to make him twitch and moan at the odd feeling. He could feel his head spinning and his heart throbbing faster in his chest like it wanted to break free like a flighty bird. The Marine had to admit he was tempted to do the same. He knew this wasn't how it was going to go down. One thing he did remember about the sex was that it was rough and frantic and even though it felt good by the time he reached his peak, there were a lot of long, painful moments to get through to reach it. By the end, this would just be a memory of tenderness before the storm, and the albino knew it.

His nerves must have somehow leaked into the kiss and his face because the pirate actually pulled back, rubbing his jaw soothingly. He felt himself press into the calming touch without much thought, relaxing into it. He was resigned to the pain that would come, now, but he knew the chains stripping his very core of ash and the inability to be touched by the other would have to stay to make sure he didn't run when it came time.

"Hey…" a warm breath whispered in is ear, making his pale flesh tingle a little. "You alright?" Ace was crooning to him…. This fire user that he knew had power over him at the moment was concerned for his _emotions_? This same pirate that he knew could sink his teeth in deep and other parts of his body deeper without much more than a grunt to make him aware that he wasn't passing out from his drunken state or narcolepsy was treating his body like it was too precious to mar with such a mark? It didn't make sense!

"Just…. Get it over with," he murmured back, his eyes locking on the far wall as he tried to steal himself. It was just a fuck, he'd be fine. Smoker was going to grit though the pain, give the brat what he wanted this one time, and then leave. He knew Ace was a man of his word; he had long given up doubting Ace would follow through when they struck a deal, this would be no different. "Try not to tear, don't leave too many marks, all that shit we've already been over." Warm, calloused hands traced over and down his shoulders resting on his chest in thought. The fire user looked down at him, frowning faintly before a small smirk curled along his lips.

"So _that's_ what's got you so anxious…." He seemed to purr, pressing their bodies closer together and reveling in the hitch it made in Smoker's breathing. Ace chuckled lightly at that, peppering the strong jaw with sweeter nibbles and licks then before. Pale skin twitched and fluttered under his lips, making Ace's Cheshire Cat grin shine through full force.

"You're nervous about being able to feel it all, hn?" the pirate hummed in a sing-song tone. "You're nervous about how much it can hurt and how much it might feel good…." Smoker felt his body freeze, his mind being laid out. Damn this brat…

"It's not like you'd care…" the Marine muttered back, his eyes boring into the dark ones dancing over him. "You're just going to do whatever the hell you want, so just get it over with!" Warm lips crashed against his, again, and the smoke user found his tongue being stolen away and tied in knots when they finally broke apart, again. So much passion and a look so gentle, he could sweat it was going to make him melt if he looked into Ace's eyes much longer.

"Smoker… you seem to be a little confused about what a sober fuck is," the pirate murmured, his expression still so soft and careful. "Let's see, now… Lesson one about sex with yours truly, since it looks like I need to teach you the updated version, Smokey." Warm hands started running over him, making the Marine's breath catch in his throat.

"B-brat, wha-!?"

"There is drunk sex, and sober sex…. Drunk sex is rough," A harsh bit to his neck. ",wanting only for my own satisfaction," Hands were yanking and touching his thighs demandingly, now. "and as fast as possible." Pale skin shook, crimson eyes closed and squeezing tightly to stay that way.

"But then we have sober sex…. Sober sex is quite…. Different," the fire user murmured, the touches ceasing almost instantly. The Marine caught his breath, his eyes tempered into a glare. Ace looked down at him calmly, his smile soft, again, as a tanned palm cupped his cheek, rubbing it lightly before getting back to the' lesson'.

Smoker felt his body tremble against his will when the warm hands returned, the heat pulsing through and making his restrained smoke yearn for freedom. Breathes turned to pants, growls to groaned, and he felt his mind slip away to a blissful, colorful haze. He was soaring…. He was soaring higher and higher, another voice of passion curling and twisting around him, neither wanting to come down. Toes were curling, waves growing stronger and stronger to crash like tsunamis over them both until they were worn away, energy sapped and bodies too sated to lift another finger to press, hand to stroke, lips to kiss, arms to hold, and everything was a warm tangle of bodies and peace. _'This,'_ his mind crooned, feeling the firm hands hold him close and cocoon his exhausted form in warmth. _'This must be what freedom feels like…'_ Crimson eyes slid closed to a face-full of sun kissed skin shimmering with moisture, the faintest smile gracing his lips as it all melded into pleasant dreams of a consuming fire stoking him higher and higher.

Phantom words and gestures danced through his head, a smooth, musical voice trilling in his mind just like it had in his ear as he had been touched and given affections after each uncomfortable step towards the perfection he was feeling now.

"This kind of sex… it's more like a dance… I move to pleasure _you_, asking that you do the same in return…. I am gentle, making sure your body feels only the lovely things it wants to and that your cup overflows time and time again." Skin tingled and shivered, memories of each new pleasure as the restraints were stripped away throughout the night. "This kind of sex… it's slow and takes its time for both of us, searching for more than satisfaction… It leaves us searching for connection, for emotions, for more than we were before… It leaves us more satisfied then anything because it's not just out bodies we're giving… We give it all.. We give each other the freedom to feel and to see and to taste something whole and different and better then what we can do on our own… "

Smoker felt his lips move on their own whispering out the last piece of the 'lesson' in time with the voice in his mind and in his ear as he dropped off to sleep in this warm and safe place.

"This kind of sex... is making love."


	6. Captivated

AN: Hey-o~! This is a only slightly late Christmas present for all of you for sticking with me this long! Two chapters in the same week! I'm feeling a little blocked on my other two stories, but I'm going to be trying to get a chapter for both of those out as soon as I can. Enjoy!

Everything still felt so warm and cozy in the morning, like Ace's arms had never left his waist. Smoker felt his breath coming in and out in lethargic, deep movements, and he enjoyed the peaceful feeling of being settled in the soft sheets. It was a nice change from waking up in a cheap motel, usually with the window open and letting to cool air stroke his usually uncovered body or zip through the shoddy blankets.

He faintly snuggled into the sheets and the heat, murmuring contently. He could still feel the indent Ace's form had left at his side, like he'd only just left the bed. The Marine's lips quirked at that thought. He knew Ace stayed as long as he could most of the time. It was a little touching, but dangerous and a little frightening. It showed attachment to him, or maybe just plain laziness. The sudden appearance of aspirin on his nightstand, though, made Smoker think his first guess was right. He didn't know why, but… that was a comforting thing.

The smoke user sighed faintly, his toes curling lightly as he stretched his back from the small kinks it had developed last night. "Ah, shit….." he breathed, feeling something shift back into place. Kami, he needed to tell the brat to change positions a little more often during their 'activities', staying on his back so much was kind of painful in the morning. Warm hands came out of nowhere, rubbing one of the worst spots and making Smoker jump a little.

"Easy, old man…. Geez, you're tense," a familiar voice cooed in his ear. The thin fingers started working on the spot, kneading and using his Devil Fruit to warm them and relax the muscles. Smoker almost wanted him to stop, but it was closer to heaven then he thought these kinds of mornings could ever be. A content moan made Ace chuckled gently behind him. "Like that? Good… Anywhere else you need taken care of while I'm back here? We have the time." Strong fingers moved down before finding another spot and working on it before the Marine could growl out an objection or agreement.

By the time Smoker re-found his voice and was able to get his head out of the pillow to look at the fire user, his back had been thoroughly rubbed and pampered to utter content. He couldn't even work up a proper glare or scowl of irritation. Ace smiled down gently.

"What are you doing here?" Smoker finally sighed, sitting up. His large hand moved, automatically tugging the sheets up to keep his body covered from the waist down. Ace seemed to falter for a split second before sitting up and smiling bright.

"Weeeeell….. There's a lesson 1.2 that you still need on this stuff, so I kind of had no choice," he hummed; his tone gentle, but firm. "That lesson would be that sober sex doesn't stop after the last climax… It still hasn't really stopped, so get used to it."

"Portogas…." The Marine groaned, covering his eyes. "What have I told you about this?"

"Well, that was when we were both drunk off our asses, Smoker," the pirate murmured, getting back up and rolling his neck. "Don't know about when you were a teen, but when you have sex and are sound of mind and not a jackass, you are expected to hang around a little and make sure your partner is alright and taken care of in the morning."

Smoker wanted to continue to retaliate, but was interrupted when tanned arms scooped him up, blankets and all. "Hey!" he snapped, glowering at the low chuckle Ace let out. It was humiliating…. The fire user was almost a foot shorter then himself, and much lither, but was holding the Marine's body up with ease. He shifted a little, tempted to use his own power to slip away, but he had a feeling that the fire user wasn't going to let this drop….

"Oh, relax, Smokey~! I know you're not as sore as usual, but really…. Take a bit of a break so you'll be able to walk straight later today, eh?" the pirate hummed and brought him into the bathroom. It was actually a decent one, and there was something that made the Marine shudder with relief. There was a _tub_ in here! As much as he loathed admitting it, but taking a shower always made the mornings much worse with how badly it hurt to stand long enough to clean himself. The fire user had been drawing one, it seemed, since the smooth basin was filling with warm water. He shivered lightly at the feel of the faintest curls of steam traced up his legs before he felt his toes dipped into the water.

It was the perfect temperature, and Smoker felt his muscles become more lax as he was settled in the water. Ace smirked a little, ruffling his hair before climbing back in with him. Smooth lips found his temple, and the Marine leaned into them slightly. It was a nice change of pace, in all actuality, and he let his body be touched by the pirate's warm and calloused hands tracing over his skin.

"Ace…" he murmured as faint marks left on his skin from teeth and suction were touched and rubbed lightly. It made him want to quiver, but now was far from a good time or place. He wasn't going to let his body's carnal desires take more control then they already had, this time. Glowering faintly at the widened smirk he received, as well as added pressure on an especially tender hickie before being taken away completely.

"My bad…." The pirate laughed, passing the pale creature seated in front of him the soap. Smoker rolled his eyes and began cleaning himself. "It's been a while since I had someone so against round…. What is it, now? Fourteen? Going with round fourteen, yeah…." Ace's voice tinged with more merriment at the easily picked out blush he'd coaxed onto the smoke user, mostly because he knew that Smoker knew he wasn't exaggerating by much, if at all. "Kidding, kidding… I know well enough that the morning after is not the best time to ask for more for most people, so don't even start." The rant from the Marine fended off for now left tanned arms to return to wrapping around a muscular waist, much to the rest of the man's disapproval and continued efforts to push them off when they appeared.

Eventually, Smoker just gave in a little, allowing the hold to stay after several minutes of Ace screwing around in the bathwater every time his hands weren't kept occupied with something else. He settled against the younger man begrudgingly, refusing to admit that it was more comfortable to lean onto him then bare weight on his own rear.

"Give me the soap, really fast," Ace murmured over his shoulder, seeming content to cuddle him now that he knew the Marine wasn't going to shove him off.

"What do you need it for?" was the gruff reply, but the bar was pressed into his hand when he moved it off the ethereal hip it was resting on, palm up and open. He could feel the sharp eyes tracking it all the way behind Smoker's view.

"Washing your back. Maybe myself, too…." The fire user hummed, softly scrubbing the Marine's back after shifting so there would be space between their bodies. He traced over a few of the lovely little scratches he'd left, smirking lightly. "What did you think I'd do with a bar of soap?"

"Don't ask, because I know the answer will either make you cringe or laugh, and I'm not in the mood for either…." Smoker snorted, letting the tan fingertips glide here and there on his shoulders and slowly dip down to his lower back. The pirate chuckled, anyways, but it was a quitter, and actually slightly pleasant one. Rolling his eyes a little, smoker sent out a tendril of his smoke, searching around for any form of clothing to use. He was a little surprised to find his jacket, plucking a couple cigars with the wisp and bringing them into the room. He settled them in the familiar place before sending another wisp out for his lighter.

"I got it," Ace butted in, his index finger, middle finger, and thumb snapping together and making a small flame before him. The Marine would have retaliated, but just gave a tiny grunt before holding the ends of the two rolled breathing hazards into the flame, breathing in. The feel of nicotine sliding down his throat made him relax almost instantly, letting the second hand cigar smoke low out of his parted lips. "Addict."

"I heard that, pyromaniac."

The bath was oddly rather tame after the 'tiny' splash war the insults started, and Smoker insisted he won when he dunked Ace's head into the water for a full 10 seconds, but Ace didn't seem willing to admit it. Likely because he still insisted on carrying the smoke user back to bed, and made his ask nicely to get his cigars relit, so in the end, they agreed to it being even.

"Why do you keep on carrying me, though? It's not like I'm an invalid, and I don't plan on it," the Marine muttered, settling back under the sheets. Sure, it hurt to stand, but he could handle it; he'd done it so many times before, it was almost normal to wake up with the aches in his tailbone.

"I'm helping you move around because it's what a person it supposed to do when the care about the one they slept with," Ace sighed, tugging his shorts back on, his boots following. He dressed quickly, just like Smoker knew he had to every morning when they slept like this, though the pirate was at least cleaned up, this time, instead of sweaty or soiled with… well, with Smoker. "See you around, Babe!"

Smoker couldn't get his jaw to work enough to retort as he watched the fire user crack the window open and slip out, tossing a mock salute back before he was gone… All the Marine found himself doing when he knew he should get up and get back to hiding from Chikao was flopping back on the bed and covering his eyes. This was bad; there was no way this wasn't bad, and Ace should know that! He wasn't supposed to care about him, not at all. This was just for the thrill and the need for physical release, wasn't it? He wasn't supposed to feel anything, and the Marine most certainly wasn't supposed to feel back-!

"Fuck…" he muttered, his voice shaking a little. "I've started falling for him…." What scared him the most was the flood of pleasant and peaceful warmth in his stomach and his cheeks at that realization.


	7. Sunkissed

The note sat right in the center of his desk, almost like that was where it belonged, on a Marine's desk. Smoker knew better than that. He knew _damn_ well that a note from a pirate with the address of a small inn room was not supposed to be there on his desk. But there it was, and it wasn't the first time one such note had been there. Sighing faintly to himself, the smoke user sat heavily in his desk chair, staring at the still closed note laying before him. His mind flitted to the man who had obviously left it there.

Fire Fist Ace was the very last person he thought would ever want anything to do with him. They could honestly list all the things about them that were different. In personality, appearance, just about everything he could think of, Smoker could point out just how opposite they were.

Ace was in every sense _vivid_, if he had to be summed up in one word. He wore colors that stood out, making him stand apart from the crowd, and even among other pirates. The black and orange stood out, and yet... It went so well with the sun kissed skin that was always showing, seeing how rarely the young man wore shirts of **any** kind. Tanned to near perfection, it was a real wonder why the pirate didn't have mobs of horny women on his tail whenever he strode into a bar. Or a pack of horny men, depending on the evening.

And that was just his looks. The expressions that flickered on the fire user's freckled face had so much depth, and yet could be read by someone as clueless as, well... as Straw Hat Luffy. But there could be subtlety, so minute, yet completely changing each feeling Ace showed. Smoker swore he could stare at the young man's face for hours and it would shift from one kind of joy to fondness, to some weird kind of boredom, and cycle back through until something else happened. Each expression was faintly different and so easily missed if you didn't watch for them. The spectrum of faces and feelings the Marine had seem play across the canvass that was the pirate were nothing short of many.

All this wasn't even touching on their careers. A pirate and a Marine? Nothing but violence and trickery could come of that. Be it for information or just some petty hate, the two groups were made to butt heads. Ace's interactions were just not normal; a sweet smile, civil conversations, and passionate sex fueled by respectful and mutual attraction should not appear anywhere in a description of their occasional meetings. Sure, they had set down rules to try and keep some distance between them, but the gap was closing quickly.

The… interactions they had, now, were sober. Not a drop of alcohol had to be there, and usually wasn't, and everything was becoming so different. It was an almost normal schedule, now, and it was, in the least, terrifying. Acclimating to this kind of activity, to sneaking out, making a mess of, and then sleeping through the rest of the night in a tavern bed, was not something he really ever expected, especially not with someone like that. A life like that was something silly and uninformed young girls fantasized about without understanding just what they were actually getting themselves into, not a grown man who knew very well what these kinds of people were capable of-!

The Marine made the sound of his head slamming against his desk to stop the torrent of meditation as inaudible as possible; the overflowing piles of paperwork doing a rather sizeable job muffling the thump. "Damn."

He was acting like some- some lovesick adolescent, worrying over what the note might say! And that was bringing up more worries that were honestly relevant. The 'whys', 'hows', 'whens', all the questions he didn't know how to answer were there, and all because he couldn't get over the feeling that so much change had occurred that there was no going back! Enough… this was more than enough for tonight!

With a little more roughness than the poor scrap of parchment deserved, Smoker opened it and scowled at the neat lettering. Almost immediately, his scowl faltered to a shocked circle and his eyes darted over the letters again and again. He can't be… No, he could not be serious!

"_'You've finally seemed to master the first two lessons, S. You seem more comfortable, so I'm going to propose something. Technically, I was supposed to 'wine and dine' you before even touching you, but for you, it seems we needed to wait to try that. Consider this an invitation for you to break into lesson 1.3! If you don't want to, just show up at the hotel, usual time (Address in corner), but if you want to get a taste of something less… steamy, meet me out front dressed casual at…. Just a little while before dusk?'_" The neat letters and lack of signature was enough proof to tell it was definitely from Ace, but this…?! Going out to dinner?! What was he even thinking?!

Smoker actually found himself pacing, muttering under his cigar breath as he popped in a third to try and get his mind to stop panicking and these odd fluttery feelings in his stomach to cut it out. This was one of the worst ideas he'd ever heard!

* * *

He could not believe he had talked _himself_ into this… Smoker smoothed his hair back for the seemingly thousandth time, huffing as he walked along the main road as non-conspicuously as he could muster. It felt odd… Not being in his Navy attire, not having the fading sunlight and afternoon breeze against his bare chest, even the lack of cigars! It had taken an hour to find a shirt that wasn't ruined by training, another to get enough nicotine patches to sate himself, and a few minutes to come up with an excuse to leave the ship and not be there for dinner without worrying anyone or letting on why he was going. To the smoke user, this was a little pathetic.

It was just a meal, an extended foreplay, but definitely, certainly, absolutely _**not**_ a date. There was no extended attachment lingering in this, just a meal, a social custom, and that's that. He shouldn't be this worked up, anyways. It was just the brat, and chances were, this was just going to be some quick bar food before the usual evening, and it was going to work out perfectly. Nothing was wrong….

It was easy to spot Ace waiting contently, standing on the walkway and looking at nothing in particular. His hat was nowhere in sight, his own torso covered, and the worn black shorts replaced with something that looked rather new and clean. As always, the colors were bright, and the shirt was woven in a vibrant pattern and was loose-fitted, but still covering his tattoo and his stomach. Light must have bounced off a puddle in the road or something when the fire user noticed him, because a warm, sunny glow just seemed to light right up and made him feel all fluttery, again. Damn weather was conspiring against him!

"Where to," he muttered the moment they were in earshot, glancing everywhere but the beaming freckled face before him. It felt like a Neptunian was swimming up and down and in all kinds of odd knots within his guts whenever he did. There was a light hum and an arm lightly touching his shoulder to guide him along as they walked.

"Nice little place I found. Just this week, too," the young pirate chimed. "The drinks are good, food is better, and the best part is, it's quiet and not too expensive. Not a lot of Marines _or_ pirates, too." Ace's mood seemed bubbly, for some reason, and it was infecting. The small talk actually had two sides by the time they reached the building. It was a modest setting overlooking the bay and docks, and most of the seating was outside. Sweeter smells filled the air and mingled with flowering trees that were scattered around the area and all along the edge.

Through some form of magic, charm, and possibly preparation, the pair was lead to a table with a view that could be summed up in one word, even though that one word would do far from giving it its due. Just glancing over to the west gave the most magnificent image of the sun gently dipping down into the bay and the sprawling lights of the port town starting to flicker on like stars. Lush greens and rosy pinks were woven through the buildings, and even though the trees were lovely from the ground, looking down on them as they caught the last glow of the sun was breathtaking. Scenery had never been very captivating for him, but just this once, Smoker didn't mind watching the world around him for just a little bit.

"Like it?"

Almost jumping, the smoke user forgot he was just standing next to their table and leaning lightly on the railing instead of paying attention to Ace. He coughed into his hand slightly, nodding before turning back to see his chair pulled out and offered to him. Smoker played along, rolling his eyes at the insistence that he be sat first and his chair pushed in by the raven-haired male instead of by his own power.

"It's alright… Nice to look at," he admitted, watching a twinkle flicker on in the fiery orbs looking him over.

"Only alright?" the pirate purred, his lips quirking in a challenging way. "And just what would you do if I got you to say that this was one of the greatest experiences of your life before you set foot inside the hotel room after we eat?" So they were going to play it this way, then…

"I'll take care of that problem you've been complaining about getting in the mornings, recently," smirked the albino, his ruby irises sharpening with his confidence. "And tonight? I'll do that one thing you like with my tongue until it's sore." He watched a tanned adam's apple bob slightly at the wager. "And if I don't say it, you'll let me… eat ribs right in front of you without having any go missing, again."

"A hard bargain," Ace hummed, grinning and nodding. "You'd better drink a lot of water, then, because I don't think I can let myself lose."

"I will not take it easy on you just because you invited me out."

"That, my dear Smokey, is what makes it fun. Let the bet begin!"


	8. Moonbathed

"Th-that's enough, Babe…" a certain pyro murmured, sighing heavily as his body relaxed against the mattress, yet again. He felt the exhausted Marine finally give in and flop, boneless, onto the sheets. Ace muttered softly, not feeling much like moving, either, but forced himself to sit up and work long enough to drag the albino up so they were both able to lie comfortably. Smoker only put up a soft moan before burrowing into the soft sheets and probably falling right asleep.

No one would really blame him. The pirate alone felt like jelly after that, and Smoker had insisted he do most of the work, tonight; the aching he would have in the morning from sheer strain would be more than enough to keep him still for hours; his throat would be screaming murder if its owner even tried to do more than breathe, too.

Ace could not help but smirk at the thought, a few fingers tiredly running through the snowy locks of hair at his side. He knew that Smoker only went that far to please for a very extremely small set of people and usually only for specific reasons. Being one of the few was certainly an honor. The reason, though… That was what tainted his smile to a bitter-sweet one.

It had happened while they were having their last drinks of the night. He could remember the last rays of sun dying at least a few minutes before, leaving them both bathed in firelight and the soft glow of their table's candle. There was a small pile of cherry stems, each one tied into several tiny knots. He watched Smoker tie the last one with his tongue and teeth before depositing it in the little pile with a calm smirk.

It was his game, really. The sooner they left, the less of a chance there was for him to mess up and actually speak what Ace wanted to hear. The pyro wasn't making it simple, either. He was, rather admirably, resisting the flirting and doing everything within his power to make the evening perfect. Finally, though, just as they were preparing to pay and leave, the albino said it.

"This… was the best night out I've had in a long time…"

The Marine had gone silent after that… Not in a shy or relaxed way, either. Ace could feel the anxiety floating off the other as they walked back to the inn. He waited to ask until they were in the privacy of the room, but the only answer he got was Smoker undressing. Even when he tried to press the subject, Smoker just stayed quiet and knelt next to the bed, waiting patiently. The Marine ended up tugging his pants down and essentially forcing the rest of the night to start just to get the subject to change.

It was just the Marine's way, he guessed. Ace didn't really like it, but he had figured out a while ago that this was how Smoker dealt with emotional problems or insecurity in his decisions: he ignored it. His emotions almost never conflicted with his job, so he usually didn't have to deal with it, there, but… This was different. There couldn't be much else that was _more_ of a conflict of interests that this.

"It must be tearing you up, inside…" the pirate whispered, frowning to himself as he lightly stroked those snowy locks. "To know that I should be the last person you do this with... It must hurt so badly for you to let yourself stay. It must make you feel so unworthy and dirty and tainted. And I hate that…. Because that's the very furthest thing from you and no matter how I try to stop myself, I can't help it… You're too perfect."

Even though Smoker wasn't old enough at the time, the pyro knew that this was the kind of Marine Garp had wanted them both him and Luffy to become. This man was strong, determined, everything Garp insisted made a good man and a good Marine. There really were too few of them still in the Navy, and yet, here one was. And here he was, tempting and teasing this perfect Marine into things that would kill them both…

Smoker was more than that uniform, though, far more than that symbol 'Justice' usually meant. There was that hidden complexity, intelligence, and his softer, caring spots all covered in a thick, protective weave of stoics interlaced with moral fiber. In was a wall so firm, yet flexible, that nothing could get through without permission. After so long, it seemed that permission had been given to him, to a pirate that he should not have trusted at all. The moral fibers that acted as the firmest line of defense against his kind hadn't been able to find a real reason to keep him out…

The pyro sighed to himself and held the albino a little closer and a little more carefully. Always being strong and distant, it had to be hard. It was his job, in the end, but Smoker still shouldn't have to feel the need to do this, here. Here, he wasn't a symbol of Justice to remind people on both sides of their morals, or lack thereof. He didn't have to be pure-!

Pure… That was what Smoker was, underneath that husk and certainly physically. He was more pure and concentrated Justice than the world could handle, most days. Those emotions he would show were pure and unmixed because that was the only thing that could break through the forced apathy. Ace sighed, again. That apathy was the most peaceful thing in his world, even when Smoker was on the job and chasing him all around some random port.

The feel of that alabaster skin shifting under his hand had the pirate jump back to the physical. He whispered an apology to the barely awake form that had jolted when a tender bruise from a small mishap at sea, moving his hand back to a clear patch of skin. He smiled to himself when the albino passed right back out with barely a murmur of acceptance.

He'd only gotten a small glimpse of those tired, ruby eyes, but he'd seen them plenty, before. Smoker probably didn't know how gorgeous they could be when the light caught them just right or when something finally went his way. Then there was the smooth, almost ethereal body that might as well be sculpted from marble. Now was one of those times where he could just observe and feel it without Smoker trying to make him stop. Moments of this kind of sweetness were so rare, and the pirate let himself enjoy it as he tucked the blankets a little closer around his precious symbol of purity and peace…

"Dove…" the dark, haired male whispered, his smile brightening. Sure, calling the Marine 'Babe' and other usual terms was enjoyable, but something about claiming this Marine with a word that was all their own was… nice. "My Dove… Don't ever let me tarnish you, because nothing in this world truly can." He gave a bitter little smile at that thought, pressing a kiss onto the broad forehead that wasn't creased, for once.


End file.
